Trayline
by Karu Leonnese
Summary: In which 'The customer is always right', has never been so wrong. [AU, triangle]
1. WTF Puree?

Trayline

by Karu Leonnese

Chapter One: WTF Puree?

Notes: Okay, I can almost guarantee that no one will read this. -laughs- But it's gonna get good, I swear. Uh…the charas I'm using are from about disc 3, which is as far as I've gotten so far. The Zorn and Thorn charas are a mix of game and Zarla's ficcehs. Go read 'Workaholic' and 'Power Age'. And for the companion ficceh to those (which is awesome as well) read Soshika's 'Juurai Arano'. And to anyone who cares, this is why I hate my life so much…except for the whole Kuja thing…

Warnings: Um…everyone hitting on everyone, some random molesting, language and maybeh some violence.

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_I hereby swear that the information presented on this application is true to the extent of my knowledge._

_Vivi Orunitia_

Vivi looked the application over one last time. This was it, his last chance to back out. He knew he wasn't going to, but he liked to think of it that way. Truth was, he needed the job. It was manual work, which didn't suit the boy's small size, but not many places would hire a Black Mage for anything other than physical labor. There weren't really anymore around these days anyway.

Which was why Vivi needed a job. He couldn't live by himself and not work. It was just that simple. After 284 had disappeared, there was no one but himself to take care of him.

So if he wanted to keep living, he had to work. It was that logical, and Vivi didn't mind. It would be interesting to have a job, and to interact with people. He shrugged, slipping the paper in the mailbox as the secretary had instructed him.

How bad could it be?

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"It's HORRIBLE!" A rather small blond draped himself dramatically over the conveyer belt that served as the Central Kitchen's Trayline. "I can't believe this!"

"What's wrong with you this time?" a rat woman rolled her eyes, stacking plastic juice cartons at her station.

"Zidane's all whiny cuz Blank quit," a young girl with short blue hair stood next to him on a stack of boxes.

"Is that all?"

"Is that all? Freya, how could you!" Zidane said with no real anger. His long monkey tail swayed idly. "Blank was the best!"

"Another of your flings, I'm guessing," behind Zidane, a large redhead leaned against the wall, drying his huge hands with a dish towel.

Zidane suddenly grinned, leaning back. "Aww, don't worry Ama, you're the only one for me, baby."

"Don't think I won't hurt you."

"Has anyone seen Zorn and Thorn yet?" Freya asked, glancing at the empty station next to her, "We need to get started soon."

Across from her, a brunette woman shook her head. Freya turned to the blue-haired girl. "Eiko, did you see them in the storeroom?"

Eiko shrugged. "No, but Quina's down there. And I think I saw Steiner clocking in."

"They'll catch hell if Kuja gets here before they do," Amarant pushed himself off the wall.

"They probably overslept again," the rat girl sighed. "I really worry about their scheduling…"

"We are here!"

"Ready to work, we are!"

The two jesters, clad in blue and red and white, skidded to a halt at their station. Out of breath, they leaned on each other for support.

"Are we ready to start the line?" Zidane asked. "Garnet, you okay?"

The brunette nodded, leaning on the line as well.

"One question," Freya spoke up, "How far do you think you're going to get without a Starter?"

The monkey frowned. "Damn, I forgot about that," he laid on the line again, burying his head in his arms. "Oh Blank, why have you forsaken us!"

"Calm down already. Don't you know how early it is?" the door opened and a rather feminine-looking man with long silver hair walked in. A small Black Mage followed aprehensiously behind.

"Early for you maybe, but we do this every day," Zidane smirked. "So what's so important that it gets you out of bed during daylight, Kuja?"

"I've brought you a little present," Kuja replied, pulling the boy out of the doorway. "His name is Vivi and he's your new Starter."

The boy waved sheepishly, squeezing out a soft "Hi."

The blond flipped over so his back was on the line. He put a hand to his forehead dramatically. "Why Blank, why!"

Garnet reached over the coffee machine in her station and bopped Zidane with a cup.

Amarant snorted and Eiko burst out laughing. Freya rolled her eyes. "Don't mind them, they're morons. I'm Freya, and this is Garnet," she nodded to the brunette, who was admonishing Zidane silently, brandishing her cup.

Zidane backed up until he was out of Garnet's reach. "Ah, I'm just teasing you, kid. I'm Zidane. I'll be pimping the Steamtable."

"Molesting it, more like…" Amarant drawled.

"Don't be like that Ama. I still love you!"

"Save it for after hours, please," Kuja sighed, putting a delicate hand to his temple. "And I don't mean the supply closet, either."

"Damn, he's on to us…" Zidane muttered.

Vivi looked bewilderedly at the group. He really hadn't expected everyone to be so…energetic.

The small girl with wings waved at him. "Hey. I'm Eiko. And the clowns here are Zorn and Thorn."

"Hello!" Zorn said.

"To meet you, it is nice," Thorn continued.

Vivi nodded a greeting to them. Kuja, Zidane, Ama, Garnet, Eiko, Zorn and Thorn. The small Mage thought there was no way he could remember them all.

Zidane turned to Kuja. "Teacher, teacher! Rusty's late for class again!"

This warranted another cup beating from Garnet. Freya, who seemed to be the serious speaker for the group, shook her head. "Steiner's downstairs and Quina's in the storeroom. But we're all ready to go."

"Sounds good," Kuja nodded. "Vivi's station is next to yours, Zidane, so I'll leave you to get him acquainted with everything," before the monkey had a chance to object, the silver-haired man was back out the door, leaving Vivi to the wolves, so to speak.

"Who does he think I am, a people person?" Zidane grumbled.

"Show him the way, o great Steamtable Pimp," Amarant smirked, moving to the sink.

"Jealous?" Zidane grabbed Vivi by the hand. "C'mon kid, we're up front, away from these losers." He narrowly dodged a coffee cup lid thrown at his head. He turned back, sticking out his tongue. "Not quite, Garnet, dear!"

The blond led Vivi to the first station on the line. There was a stack of trays sitting there, with napkins, silverware, condiments and meal tickets waiting to be put on.

"Okay, here's the deal. You put a ticket on each tray," he did this as he said it, "and whatever silverware and condiments the ticket has on it, you put on. You also tell me what hot foods are on the ticket. Got it?"

Vivi cringed. "Well…"

Zidane smiled. "Don't worry. It might seem like a lot, but you'll get used to it. If you want, just focus on putting the trays together, and I'll read the ticket myself." He circled around to the second station, where there was a jungle of stacked plates surrounding a steel table with bins of food. He pulled the tray he'd made as an example down the line and read it. Then he served the food on it. "Ready?"

Vivi could barely see Zidane over the stacks of trays and plates. "I-I think so."

He nodded. "Tell me if you're having trouble," he turned to the end of the line, where Zorn and Thorn were pushing a large metal rolling cart to the edge. "Start the line guys."

"Starting the line!" Zorn yelled at the same time Thorn yelled, "The line, we are starting!"

The conveyer belt started to move, taking the tray to the next station, which was Freya. She put a few cups and a juice on it, and it went to Garnet. Garnet put a coffee cup on. Last it went to the jesters. Zorn put a lid over the plate and handed it to Thorn, who put it on the cart.

Vivi watched all this. It seemed pretty straightforward.

"Go ahead and make up a few trays before we start, just so you get used to the process," Zidane leaned over the line again. He did that a lot. "I'm on Steamtable. That's all the hot foods. Freya does Cold Foods and Juice. Garnet does Beverages, and Zorn and Thorn are your Loaders. Ama and Eiko aren't technically on the Line, but they're close enough. Ama's in charge of dishes, and Eiko runs the Storeroom. Steiner takes the carts out and Quina makes the food. You'll meet them later. And Kuja supervises…" he rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"There sure are a lot of people…" Vivi muttered, fumbling with the silverware in the bins.

Zidane smiled sympathetically. "It takes some getting used to, that's for sure. If you ever wanna know something about anyone, just come to me. I'm the expert on Trayline Relations."

"You mean you're a gossipy little priss…" Amarant corrected in passing, holding an armload of metal bins.

"That too…" he grinned. "Ama might seem like a hardass, but he's real fun once you get to know him…and get him drunk."

Amarant shook his head, walking on. Zidane laughed. Vivi finished his tray and set it on the line. "How do you know so much about everyone?"

He shrugged. "I pick up things. It's all part of the job. Ama, see, he's here cuz he's dodging the law. And Garnet can't talk. Trauma and all. Eiko's lived on her own for years. It's an unfounded rumor that Freya's playing for the other team. Zorn and Thorn are working like, six jobs other than this, AND going to college. And Quina's here because he—or she—likes food and no one else hires us inhumans. I guess that's kinda why you're here, huh?" In no real hurry, Zidane made up the plate and sent the tray on.

"I-I guess. I mean, I never really thought about working before, but m-my roommate ran off, so I kinda had to…" Vivi didn't think he was making nearly enough trays. He tried to go faster, eventhough the others didn't seem to mind.

"Well, don't worry about it," Freya cut in, leaning on the line so she could see the boys. "We're really an eccentric group here, so no one gets left out," she glared at Zidane. "And I'm not a lesbian." Vivi guessed this was sort of a running joke.

"Suuuuure."

Freya sighed of one long-suffering. "I'd bring to question your current…fling…but I'm not sinking to your level."

This made Zidane laugh. "Oh c'mon, it's fun down here! You know you wanna…"

"No she doesn't," Amarant passed by again. For someone so big, Vivi was surprised just how easily he snuck up on everyone.

Freya nodded matter-of-factly. "This is neither the time nor the place for this. If you're not going to help Vivi then why don't you just keep quiet?"

Vivi toyed with the hem of his jacket. "I-I didn't mean to start any fights. I-I'm sorry…"

Amarant laughed a bit. "They're not fighting, they're playing around. Trust me, you'll know when they're fighting."

Vivi looked at them both. "Oh."

By this time, Zorn had come to join them as well. "Why has the line stopped?"

"Zidane's starting fights again, that's all," Freya turned back to her station, failing to hide her smile.

"Kuja won't like it if we are late…"

Zidane dismissed him with a wave. "Aww, don't worry about it, Z. Just tell him it's cuz I'm training Vivi. And if he's still pissy, send him to me."

Zorn turned on a heel, muttering something angrily.

"Okay then, let's get this stupid thing done. I'm ready for lunch!" the blond pushed himself up, going back to making plates.

Vivi moved a finished tray to the line, but he misjudged the distance and dropped it. It hit the floor with a crash, sending its contents flying. Vivi cringed, pulling the edges of his floppy hat against his head. "Oh no!"

Zidane hopped over the line to Vivi's station, helping the boy clean up the mess. "Hey, it's no problem. Everyone does that here sometimes."

"Wait again, must we?" Thorn folded his arms on the line.

"Hey, cut him some slack," the monkey snapped, pulling Vivi up from his kneeling position, "He's working as hard as he can here!"

Thorn glared at Zidane, but said nothing.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah Rusty, don't get your bolts twisted," Zidane didn't look up, but he rolled his eyes. "Just a little accident."

Vivi blinked. A man had just come in the kitchen, dressed in full-plate armor. He regarded the boy curiously. "Who is this?"

"I-I'm Vivi. I just started here today," Vivi was really bad at talking to people he didn't know. Too bad he was meeting so many new people.

"Rusty, here, is the Porter," Zidane explained, setting down a new tray for Vivi to use.

The man started indignantly. "My name is not Rusty. It is Adelbert Steiner, and I'll thank you to remember it!"

"Yeah, whatever."

"Hello…" Vivi kept his gaze on the floor.

"Vivi's our new Starter, since Blank quit. Don't give him any trouble, got it?" Zidane hoped back over the line. "Okay, try it again, Viv."

The boy nodded. Ticket, silverware, napkin, salt, pepper, sugar. Once the tray was complete, he set it on the line. Then he started on the next.

"Good job," Steiner nodded, taking the dropped tray. "Maybe after this, you can replace this lowlife here…"

"Go haul your cart, Rusty," Zidane narrowed his eyes. "We already covered for you with Kuja."

"Humph. Not like I asked you to…" Steiner replied, but left anyway.

Vivi set down another tray. "A-Are you okay?"

Zidane looked at him, as if just realizing he was scowling. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Rusty and I just don't get along. Probably thinks I'm setting a bad example for you. How're you doing?"

Vivi frowned a bit. "Okay, I guess. I just wish I could do it faster. I'm making everyone wait."

"Don't worry about it. We understand. Just take your time."

The rest of the meal went semi-regularly. It was slow, but it was steadily-paced. By the end of the sixteen carts, Vivi was out of breath. Zidane hopped the line, steadying the boy. "Ready for lunch?"

"I just wanna sit down," Vivi responded honestly.

Zidane laughed. The last cart was trays and hot food only, so everyone else had already left. Except Amarant, who strode up to them on their way out.

Vivi didn't know much about the place, but it was supposed to be a hospital. He also knew that it was BIG. Luckily Zidane seemed to sense the boy's hesitance. "C'mon. You can eat with us. I don't want you getting lost."

"T-Thanks," Vivi stuck close to the two, walking down the long halls. He put the route to memory, in case he had to go by himself later on.

The employee cafeteria was rather small. No one else from Trayline was there. Vivi supposed they left the building for lunch. He picked out a sandwich and drink, and followed Zidane and Amarant to the register.

"That's all you're getting?" the monkey asked, inspecting the boy's tray. Zidane had the same meal they had prepared in the kitchen.

"I don't eat much," Vivi replied. He gave the cashier his nametag, as he'd seen Amarant do before him. The cashier, a small green frog, swiped it through a small machine and handed it back.

Surprised, Vivi watched the cashier glare at Zidane. "I thought I told you to -ribbit- stop doing that."

Zidane flashed him a winning smile. "What are you talking about Cid? I made this myself!"

The frog named Cid rolled his eyes. "Just sit down."

Zidane and Vivi Amarant at one of the tables in the back. "Why is he mad at you?"

"I'm technically not supposed to take food off the line," the blond shrugged.

"But you do it anyway, and get caught like a moron," Amarant took a sip of his drink.

"You're against me too, Ama?"

He shook his head. "Only when you get caught."

Vivi frowned. "I don't see why it's not allowed. You're just taking a few leftovers. It's not like you take it before all the trays are done…"

"Exactly. But then they lose money cuz we don't buy cafeteria food," Zidane replied logically.

"There's so many rules in this place…" Vivi shook his head before taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Really, only Cid and Kuja will give you trouble. The rest of us are pretty laid-back. Even Rusty."

"The jesters have their moments too. Sometimes they're Kuja's little pets, but usually they keep to themselves," Amarant nodded.

"Yeah, cuz we cover for them when they're late—which they are a lot," the blond changed the subject. "So Vivi, what's your story?"

Vivi was taken slightly aback. He hadn't expected anyone to be curious about him. "W-Well, I lived with my roommate 284, but he disappeared a few weeks ago. So I needed a job to keep the apartment."

"What do you do for fun?" Zidane asked around a mouthful of chicken.

"Fun? Well…I like to play card games," he blinked. "I suppose I'm not that interesting."

"Are you kidding? I've never talked to a Black Mage before. Anyway, you should come with us this weekend to Treno."

"What's that?"

Amarant sighed. "It's sort of like a club or something. Kuja drags Zidane there all the time, and he tries to recruit us into it too."

"Oh. Are you and Kuja close?" Vivi asked. "You didn't seem like it."

"Kuja's my brother," Zidane toyed with his straw. "We live together, and he hates going out alone."

Vivi shrugged. "if you want me to, then I guess I will."

"Great! We're going straight after work tomorrow. Bring a change of clothes if you want."

The boy nodded, busying himself with his lunch. His first day there and he was already invited out after work. He wondered if it would be fun.

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"Hey Viv, do me a favour and get me a couple of grey-handled scoops," Zidane asked when they were getting ready for the next round of carts.

Vivi left his station to the back of the kitchen. The kitchen equipment was located in a narrow dead-ended hall between Amarant's station and the cook he'd yet to meet. He dug into the utensil bin and pulled out two ice cream scoops, which the Trayline used for serving the hot food.

Suddenly the corner got dark. Vivi turned around, confronted with a giant white being with a huge lolling tongue. "You want yummie-yummies!"

Eyes wide, Vivi screamed.

This caused the creature to scream as well. They were both still screaming when Zidane, Amarant and Freya rounded the corner.

"What's going on?" Zidane was at the boy's side in a flash. "Viv, what's wrong?"

Freya stood between Vivi and the white thing. "Quina, what happened?"

"S/he probably cornered the kid and scared him," Amarant shrugged, dumping a bin of used utensils into the sink.

"Quina ask tiny Mage if he want yummie-yummies and he scream. It scare Quina, so Quina scream too!" Quina replied.

Zidane was trying hard not to laugh. "It's okay Quina. Vivi's new here and you just shook him up a bit. Vivi, this is Quina, our chef."

Vivi's face flushed. "S-Sorry. I-I was just surprised. N-nice to meet you."

Quina nodded, apparently not phased in the slightest. "Quina like tiny Mage Vivi. Vivi very loud."

"Well, if the crisis is adverted, we really need to get the line started," Freya said with a trace of amusement.

Vivi handed Zidane the scoops with still-trembling hands. "I-I didn't mean to scream. That was really rude of me…"

Now Zidane did laugh. "It's okay Viv. Quina's pretty shocking the first time around. Let's just get back to the line." He noticed the boy was still shaking. He put a hand on the Mage's shoulder. "Okay, calm down. Just take a deep breath…"

Vivi did so, closing his eyes. "It's okay, I'm fine now. I just get really scared when people sneak up on me."

The monkey led him back to the line. Vivi set up his station the way it had been in the morning. He made the first tray and put it on the line.

Zidane grinned, spinning the scoop in his hand before putting it in the food. "Starting Trayline!"

Vivi thought it sounded appropriate.

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And the first chappeh is complete! God, this wouldn't END! The other ones most likely won't beh this long, really. And to anyone who actually follows this, you get special love from the Vivi plushie!


	2. Crosstraining

Trayline

Chapter two: Crosstraining

A/N: My dedication is astounding…-sarcasm- Really, I called in with a twisted ankle to get all this work done today. -grins- Love my irresponsibility.

Oh, and Viv's thing with calling Freya 'Miss' was something I got from Gar-san. I just find it too cute not to use anymore.

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Vivi was used to waking up early. He just wasn't used to waking up at a certain time. He'd never been one to sleep in all day, but having an exact time to wake up each day took some getting used to.

Kuja didn't show up when everyone else did. Vivi was starting to see why the Trayline staff separated themselves from him. But it didn't cause him any problems, so he didn't think too much of it. At any rate, he had enough to worry about with his own job to worry about anyone else's, even Kuja.

Zidane had proved to be the most helpful, despite his seemingly pessimistic attitude upon the boy's arrival. Whenever Vivi had trouble with something, Zidane usually had a trick to make the job go faster. And the blond had made sure that Vivi was included in everything and knew where everything was.

So when Zidane wasn't there when Vivi clocked in the next morning, he was more than a bit disconcerted. Kuja was there, and Vivi wasn't sure whether that made things better or worse.

He peeked his head inside the office door. "Um…w-where's Zidane?"

Kuja looked up, not even noticing the boy come in. "Oh, he's in a meeting right now," he stood walking over to the Mage in the fluid movement Vivi was getting accustomed to seeing from Kuja. "I need to ask you a favour…"

Vivi didn't like where this was going. Especially once Kuja stopped in front of him, entirely too close in Vivi's opinion. "W-What?"

Kuja crossed his arms. "Zidane, Garnet and Freya have meetings today. They're all at different times, but that still leaves us a person short on each meal. I'm pulling Ama from Dishes, but all he knows is Starting."

Vivi blinked. "Oh."

"So, I'm asking you to fill in the various spots. Do you think you can do that if I show you how?"

The boy sighed. It wasn't like he could refuse. "I guess so."

Kuja clasped his hands together. "Wonderful. How much do you know about Steamtable? I'll get you started."

He left before Vivi could respond further. Beside him, Amarant laughed. Vivi jumped, realizing the redhead had snuck up on him once more. "Things going well?"

Vivi tugged on the brim of his hat. "Not really. I'm not sure yet."

Amarant shook his head, leaning against the office wall with his arms folded across his chest. "Even if he's supposed to be in charge, you can't let Kuja push you around."

The boy looked up at him. "How do you do that?"

He shrugged. "You find ways. Unless you do, you'll be his gopher just like Zorn and Thorn."

"I dunno. I just don't want any trouble…"

He laughed again, sarcastic as always. "If you didn't want trouble, you should have never signed that application."

"I'm beginning to believe that," he replied. "Hey, Ama?"

The redhead frowned. "Don't call me that."

Vivi winced. "Sorry. I thought that was your name. That's what Zidane and Kuja call you."

"I know. I'm trying to get them to stop that too," he rolled his eyes, half hidden beneath all his hair. "My name is Amarant, if you have to call me something."

"Right. Sorry Amarant."

"What did you want?"

"Huh?"

He pushed himself off the wall. "You were about to ask me something."

"Oh," his face felt hot suddenly. "It's…it was nothing."

"Whatever. Suit yourself kid," Amarant headed off toward Vivi's station.

Vivi sighed again, looking at the bulletin board. Every morning, Kuja posted a schedule there, even though usually everyone did the same job. Today, his name was under Steamtable, Cold Food and Beverage, respectively. "He already put me there before he asked!"

"He'll do that," Freya replied, walking through the door. "Sorry about causing you so much trouble, but it's a mandatory meeting. We have no choice."

Vivi shook his head. "It's okay. It's not like you can help it do anything."

She smiled at him. "I'll make sure you're all set up before I leave."

"Thanks," a though struck him. "M-Miss Freya?"

"Hmm?" she waved at him to follow her as she went to her station.

"Do you think…is there something wrong with Kuja?"

Freya laughed, surprising the boy. She leaned in close, whispering to him conspiratorially. "Of course he's weird. But that's not what you need to worry about. You just want to stay away from his bad side. He can be very spiteful if you catch him in a bad mood. Just try not to make him mad," she raised an eyebrow at Amarant, who passed by them, carrying an armload of napkins and silverware, "no matter what a certain Salamander might tell you."

Amarant shrugged concomitantly, continuing on. Freya looked like she might say more, but just then Kuja sauntered up to the station. The rat girl looked away, focusing wholly on stocking her cooler.

"I started a few plates for you. just copy those unless Ama gives you a special order. If you have any questions, ask someone on the Line," he smiled, patting him lightly on the head. then he was gone again.

Freya rolled her eyes. "I can't believe he's got you crosstraining on your second day. He's such a sadist sometimes."

Vivi's eyes dimmed slightly. "When's Zidane coming back?"

She smiled sympathetically. "He'll be at lunch with you, I promise. Just get through this meal, okay?'

He nodded, offering her a weak smile. "I'll try."

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Vivi supposed it was like dancing. It took a fluid motion and a grace that he could never understand. Vivi couldn't dace. And it looked more and more apparent that he couldn't run Steamtable either.

He'd never seen Zidane dance, but he was pretty sure he could. He'd seen the monkey spin around in his station, making plates with ease. Vivi, however, seemed to feel about as graceful as a dying karp. He was sure Amarant was moving slow, trying to let him keep up, but it just wasn't working. His feet were too short to cover the distance between the two tables quickly, and his arms were too short to reach very far over them. Add the fact that it seemed like everyone wanted something different, and the boy swore that if it kept up, he was going to wind up crying.

About midway, Amarant stopped. Vivi looked at him, grateful for any kind of break, but confused by the sudden halt. The redhead leaned over the line. "You're going to snap if you keep on like this."

Vivi frowned. "Maybe. What can I do differently?"

"You're worrying to much. If you miss the tray, just put the plate on the Line. Freya'll get it."

"Are you sure that'll work?"

He shrugged. "Never done Table before."

The Mage thought about this briefly. "Then how do you know?'

"Zidane."

That made sense. Vivi was reminded of the question he was about to ask Amarant earlier that morning. He stopped himself before curiously got the better of him again. Amarant probably didn't want people poking into his personal life. Zidane might answer him though. "Okay, I'll try it."

Working at his own pace was easier, but he felt bad. He was holding everyone up again, patient as they were. Finally they finished, and Amarant helped Vivi clean up.

They met Zidane in the cafeteria, who looked half asleep. He brightened when he saw them, and ran down the hall. He lunged at Amarant, who didn't seem surprised in the least. He rolled his eyes and held the monkey's extra weight with no effort.

Zidane beamed at Vivi from his place around Amarant's neck. "Hey Viv! How's it going?"

Vivi smiled back. "Just gaining an extra appreciation for you."

The blond blinked. Was it just Vivi's imagination, or did his face flush the slightest bit? "Huh?"

"Kuja made him do Table," Amarant explained, disentangling the shorter boy from him.

"On his second day?" Zidane asked incredulously. "He knows damn well he could've covered!"

They started down the hall. Vivi stretched, moving his tired arms. "I'm taking over for Freya and Garnet today too."

Zidane looked mad, which surprised Vivi a bit. Usually no one cared if he got stuck with an unfair situation. "I'm gonna talk to him. If he keeps working you like this, you're gonna crash!"

Vivi shook his head. "I don't want you to get in trouble."

The monkey winked. "No problem. Living with your supervisor does have its perks." He stifled a yawn.

"Up all night again?" Amarant drawled, vaguely amused.

"Always," he grinned back. "But that damned meeting bored me to death. If it were any longer, I'd have been out like a light."

Vivi laughed. Zidane turned to him. "Hey, do you still wanna come out with us tonight? I'll understand if you're too tired."

Reaching the café, the trio grabbed their trays. Vivi put his usual sandwich and drink on his. "No, I still wanna go. I've never been to a club before, and I—" he stopped, realizing what he was about to say. He really wanted to go just to hang out with Zidane. He was very interesting, and so far he was the nicest to him. Vivi wanted to know more about the so-called Trayline gossip.

Zidane shrugged, not asking further into it. They moved to the cash register, where Cid had his usual glare for him, which he ignored. "Okay. But if you change your mind, just let me know and I'll take you home."

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Cold Food was definitely not as hard as Steamtable. Although it was harder than Starting, Vivi supposed that was just because he was unfamiliar with it. He managed to get through it with only a few mistakes. Apparently you couldn't give them orange juice when they asked for fruit juice. But oranges were fruits, weren't they?

After a short break, Garnet left for her meeting, and Vivi moved into her station. Unfortunately Garnet had been running late, and hadn't had time to set up for him.

Vivi had four trays of coffee to make. There were two machines. He made cup after cup, putting lids on each and carrying them to the trays. Then he had two trays of hot water and one of cold. He wondered how garnet had time to breathe, let alone beat Zidane up with coffee cups.

Amarant started sending trays down. Looking at the tickets, Vivi was horrified. Almost every tray wanted coffee as well as milk.

"M-Miss Freya, I didn't get any milk!" he squeaked, trying to put what little milk that was left from dinner on the trays.

Freya tossed a juice onto the tray. "Hey Steiner!" she stopped the armored man, who was speeding past them.

He skidded to a halt in her station. "Yes?"

"Got a minute? Viv's new on Beverage and he didn't get his milk."

Steiner smiled knowingly. "I'll go get some. Any specific kind?"

Vivi looked at some of the tickets as he put the drinks on them. "Looks like mostly regular…"

He nodded. "I'll be right back."

He sped off again. "Thank you!" Vivi called after him. But while he'd been talking for a few seconds, he'd managed to miss some trays. With a small squeal, he tried to catch up.

He was on his last three milk cartons when Steiner returned, rolling in six crates of milk. Vivi was amazed. "It takes that much?"

"Everyone gets milk with breakfast," Freya explained, helping him put cartons on the last of the missed trays.

Once the milk crisis was over, Vivi's only problem was keeping the coffee and water stocked up. He managed to finish needing only a few extra cups. He was putting everything into the main freezer when Kuja caught him again. "You did good today. I'm impressed."

Zidane paused his own clean up, draping himself over the line so he could see them. "Kuja, you ass. Give him a break."

Kuja blinked, seeming for all the world innocent. "Why, whatever do you mean?"

"You were gonna ask him to help Rusty finish Porting, weren't you?"

The silver-haired man shrugged lightly. "I might."

Zidane eased up, putting the food bins on a cart. "Well, he's coming with us tonight, so don't go giving him overtime. Get Zorn and Thorn or something. They always love the chance for extra time."

Kuja frowned, obviously not liking to be second-guessed. "Hm. I suppose I'd rather not have to wait for you all. But I'm not watching him." He turned and left in a flourish.

Vivi shut the freezer door. "Thanks."

Zidane nodded. "No prob. Kuja needs to learn that just because you're new doesn't mean he can screw with you. You about ready?"

Vivi looked around. "Yeah. Do you need any help?"

"Uh…you can take that cart to the cooler if you want," he dumped the used utensils into the sink.

The Mage rolled the cart into the cooler. When he returned, Amarant and Zidane were waiting. Zidane grinned, throwing an arm around Vivi's shoulder when the boy was close enough. "Time to go!"

Vivi nodded, following them out the door.

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Karu: It's funny how I gave Viv the worst-case scenario in each station, but all of these things have happened to meh at least once. He's just lucky I left out the frozen meatloaf. Anyway, how're things gonna play out? Will Vivi learn to dance? What exactly is going on between Zidane and Ama? And is Kuja still pissed off? Find out next time!

And I was almost correct in my assumption that no one would read this. So thankehs to the special few who put up with this! -grins-

Special Fact of the Day: This ficceh was written under the influence of Special Dark chocolate. -spazzes-

Ferrai: Wow, I'm flattered. Thankehs!

Devilish Kurumi: Did something cut out? All I get is a laugh. XD It's really all I need anyways...Good to know you're reading!

Garnet-Crystals: Thankehs! I was hoping it wasn't too choppy.

Until next time guys!


	3. After Hours

Chapter Three: After Hours

Notes: I figured I should tell everyone on this as well. This is most likely my last update until sometime in January. I need some time for jobhunting and working on the doujinshi for OhayoCon. It's FFIX as well, so if anyone's gonna beh there, pick up a copy. We're real cheap at CrackFish Productions. –grins-. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this.

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Vivi sat quietly in the backseat of Amarant's car. Zidane was next to him, and Kuja took the front seat. It had been interesting, watching the two try to figure out a seating arrangement, to say the least.

"So you've never been to Treno before?" Zidane asked him.

He shook his head. "I don't go out too much. Is it fun?"

"That depends," Kuja drawled, feeling more at ease with the young Mage than he had at work. "Are you looking for Zidane's type of fun, or Ama's?"

Vivi saw Amarant glare a little, but he only shook his head. The boy blinked. "What's the difference?"

"About three random…friends," Amarant frowned, hoping Vivi would catch the meaning.

He didn't, but he didn't press further. Zidane poked his head in between the two front seats. "Why're we headed this way?"

"We're stopping home," Kuja smiled. "I need to change."

Zidane sat back, draping a hand over his eyes, as he seemed to do a lot. "Oh god, someone's getting molested tonight."

Amarant shook his head again. Vivi was getting confused. Again, he decided not to ask, in favour of staring out the window instead. Amaranth drove a bit fast, but Vivi didn't mind. He liked watching the trees whip by. It was a bit too cold to roll down the window, but he would have liked to feel the wind hit him as well.

While he was watching the background, the car got off the highway. When he finally noticed, they were pulling into the parking lot of an apartment complex.

"Might as well grab a snack while we're here," Zidane leaned against the car while Vivi got out, his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets. Vivi slid out to join him, and the two walked to the complex's main door. Kuja had already managed to drag Amarant inside, no small feat considering the size ratio of the one doing the dragging.

Vivi looked up at the blond. Usually in a bright mood, now his face looked shadowed. "Is something wrong?"

Zidane jumped a bit, startled by the boy's voice. "Hm? Nah, it's nothing."

"Is it because…Kuja and A-Amarant…?" he asked softly, finding it difficult to form words.

A slight flush came over Zidane's face. "What? You mean…? Oh. Um…" he frowned, not being able to explain. "Do you think Ama and I are…?"

Vivi blinked. "You're not?"

He shook his head. "Not really. I mean, not in the way you're probably thinking. We used to be. But it doesn't bother me," he smiled to prove the point. He unlocked the apartment door and led the Mage inside. "Kuja, you ass, thanks for unlocking the door!" he yelled, tossing his jacket over the light blue sofa in the corner of the room.

From behind a closed door, Kuja responded cheerily. "Try moving your tail a little faster and next time it wouldn't be a problem!"

Zidane rolled his eyes, turning to Vivi. "Want something to eat? I've got some leftover Chinese I was gonna heat up…"

He nodded, shifting a little awkwardly. "That sounds good…"

The monkey headed into the kitchen. Vivi decided to follow, rather than be left to his own devices in the living room. "So…if it's not Amarant…-w-what's wrong, if you don't mind me asking?"

Zidane offered him a small smile, pressing buttons on the microwave. "You really think something's wrong, huh?" Vivi nodded. "Actually, I was kinda worried about you."

He sat on one of the kitchen chairs. "Me?"

"Yeah. I was wondering if you were okay with this. I mean, you've never been and all, and I was worred you'd be uncomfortable with it all. I know Kuja drove you around a little today, so I didn't want you to go just because I asked. I was just worried." he took the plate out of the microwave, setting it on the table and handing Vivi a fork.

Vivi felt his face getting warm. He shook his head. "No, I really wanted to go. I'm a bit nervous, but I do want to…"

Zidane grinned, popping a shrimp into his mouth. "That's good."

"I thought you were in a hurry," Kuja spoke up, coming to lean on the counter.

"Well, since –someone- decided to stall, I figured it'd be a good idea to feed ourselves," Zidane replied, smirking around the shrimp tail jutting out from between his lips.

"You look like a moron."

"Yeah?" he countered. "You look like a girl."

Vivi started laughing before he knew he was doing so. Both brothers turned to look at him. "I'm sorry," he managed, trying to stop himself with little avail. "You guys are just so much fun!"

"Wait until they start fighting. It's a laugh riot," Amarant walked up beside Kuja, resting his chin on his hand.

Zidane raised an eyebrow briefly, but shrugged, changing the subject. "Is everyone ready?"

Vivi nodded. Kuja rolled his eyes, but smiled. "It's about time."

Amarant sighed, grabbing his keys off the counter. "Let's get this over with."

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Vivi remembered vaguely that he'd never seen Zidane dance, but he figured that he could. He was absolutely right. It was amazing to watch. Zidane, after Vivi assured him he was fine at the bar, promised he would check on the boy frequently. He mingled into the crowd, but stayed on the fringe so he could see him. From the bar, Vivi watched, sipping on his soda every so often.

He was watching so intently that he didn't notice the bartender lean over next to him, arms folded. "What do you think of love at first sight?"

Surprised, Vivi jumped, falling off the stool. Lighting fast, the girl caught him before he fell, pulling him up to sit on the bar. "Jeez kid, I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

Vivi nodded, pulling his hat down. "I'm fine. I'm just not good with people sneaking up on me. What did you say?"

She smiled. "I asked what you thought about love at first sight."

He blinked. "Why did you ask that?"

"Cuz you seem to be lovin' the sight of monkey-boy over there."

Vivi's face burned. "W-What?"

She waved a hand. "Just kidding. Zidane's an awesome dancer, but not as good as Kuja."

"You know them?"

"Friend of a friend. I'm Lani, by the way," she extended a hand, which Vivi shook.

"I'm Vivi."

"So you're the new kid, huh? I've heard about you. The way I hear tell, Zidane's taken a liking to you, coming from a certain redhead." She went back to work, wiping down the counter. Everyone seemed to be dancing, so the bar was practically empty.

"You mean Amarant?" Vivi asked. "Is he the friend that knows Zidane and Kuja?"

Lani nodded. "You're quite the perceptive one. How come you're not out there with them?"

He looked down. "Well, to be honest, it's pretty crowded. And I tend to get stepped on in crowds. Plus I don't know how to dance, so I'd only wind up ruining everyone's fun."

Lani pulled at the brim of his hat affectionately. "God, you're just too cute!" she yelled out into the crowd. "Hey Zidane! Get your tail over here!"

Amazingly, the blond heard her. He wove expertly through a few people and sat down next to Vivi, a bit out of breath. "What's up?"

"You're almost as much of a moron as your brother," she admonished good-naturedly. "Aren't you gonna teach him to dance?"

Zidane looked about as shocked as Vivi at the sudden question. "Well, if he wanted to, I guess…" he turned to the boy. "You wanna?"

Vivi shrugged awkwardly. "I dunno. I don't wanna be any trouble…"

Lani squealed. "Isn't he just so cute? Now both of you get out there!" she nudged them both.

Zidane pulled Vivi off the bar, half wondering how he got up there but not asking. The two walked uneasily to the edge of the dance floor. The blond offered a smile. "So what do you think of Lani?"

Vivi stood with his hands in the sweatshirt pocket. "It think it's odd the Amarant seems like such an aloof person, but all his friends are really hyper," he looked around. "Are we allowed to stand here if we're not dancing?"

Zidane shrugged. "You can do whatever you want. So…did you really wanna dance or did you just say that cuz Lani was pushing you?"

The small Mage smiled a bit. "If you want to, it'd be nice…"

The blond smiled back. "Okay then. Let's dance!"

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"I halfway wondered if you'd ever come to see me Ama!" Lani sighed, setting out drinks for him and Kuja.

"I'm usually too busy getting hijacked by weirdoes," he drawled, glancing at the silver-haired man beside him.

"I have to prove that he's a good dancer," Kuja replied with a tiny shrug.

"From the looks of you two out there, I'd say there's little doubt about that," Lani grinned.

Amarant ran a hand through his hair. "You're such a fangirl…"

"Well what do you know…" Kuja was looking out into the crowd, a vaguely amused look on his face. "Looks like the kid can dance. I'm surprised."

Amarant and Lani followed his gaze. At the fringe of the floor, away from the depth of the crowd, were Zidane and Vivi. Watching Zidane dance was nothing new, but now the kid was with him, moving happily with the monkey and the music as if he'd been doing so for years.

Three sets of eyes watched in surprise. The two didn't notice. Lani smiled. "I told him it'd be more fun. He's so cute!"

Amarant glanced at her. "Now I –know- this is your doing…"

Lani laughed. "Better believe it. And I'm glad I did. They both look like they're having fun now."

"They weren't before?" Kuja kept his eyes on the pair. "Zidane dances alone all the time."

"You can dance and not have fun," Lani pointed out. "Trust me. It's subtle, but you can tell. A bartender knows these kinds of things."

"He can dance pretty well, I'll give him that," Amarant's attention turned to his drink. "Wouldn't expect it from a quiet kid like him."

"Well, I didn't expect it from you either 'til I saw it," the girl smirked, nodding in the direction of Zidane and Vivi, who were coming toward them after finally noticing the congregation.

"Hey guys, what's up?" Zidane threw himself onto the stool next to his brother, leaning back against the bar.

"Just watching a show," Amarant drawled.

"I'll be right back guys," Lani moved to help some customers that had come up to the bar.

Vivi scrambled up onto the stool next to Zidane. Kuja smiled at him knowingly. "Having fun?"

The boy blinked. "Yeah."

Zidane looked over at him. "You okay?"

"I'm just not used to all this. I'm kinda thirsty."

Zidane grabbed the glass next to Kuja. "This one's yours, right? Here."

"Zidane--!" Kuja started.

Vivi drained the glass before he could finish. Immediately he felt dizzy. He shook his head to clear it. Amarant stared at him, shocked, while Kuja covered his face with a hand.

"Zidane you moron! That was mine!"

Vivi leaned over, blinking. "I don't…feel too good…"

Zidane's eyes widened. "Oh shit…"

The boy began listing to the side. Zidane grabbed him by the shoulders before he fell off the stool entirely. "Oh crap, I'm sorry Viv! You're okay, right? Let's go, we'll take you home, okay?'

"What the hell happened?" Lani rushed over, hearing the commotion.

"Zidane gave Vivi my drink accidentally," Kuja explained, grabbing his coat. "We're taking him home."

"Are you crazy?" she put her hands on her hips. "You can't just leave him alone like this!"

"She's right," Amarant handed Zidane Vivi's jacket. "You should have him stay with you guys tonight. That's some pretty strong stuff he just downed. He's gonna have some trouble in the morning."

Zidane wrapped the jacket around Vivi's shoulders, keeping a tight hold on the boy. "Okay, we'll do that. C'mon Vivi, let's go."

Vivi nodded slowly, letting the monkey guide him out into the cool air. "Okay…thanks…"

Amarant unlocked the car. "I can't believe you got him drunk."

"It's not like I meant to!" Zidane snapped, ushering the Mage into the car. He slid in after him.

Vivi lay against Zidane's side, closing his eyes. "…Tired…" he fell asleep almost instantly, his mind only vaguely registering Zidane's arms wrap around him tightly.

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Gar and Kurumi are gonna kill meh for taking a hiatus on a cliffhanger like this! –grins-

Bloodshy Testament: I hope you didn't mind meh testing out the reply thing on you. Sorry about that. Thankehs for reading though.

Blair Lafrad: Darn, you caught meh. Thankehs to Kurumi's addictive writing, I've decided to join the party. -grins-

Garnet-Crystals: I'm pretty sure I'm seeing some of that in the future. Though of course, it's Vivi, so nothing all creepy, but a little fluff never hurt anyone, right?

Devilish Kurumi: -laughs- I know, I love them all too. I think that's the best thing about writing AUs is getting the charas to interact without the predetermined plot as help. Or maybeh I'm just a masochist. -shrugs and goes to read all your updates-


	4. Hangover

Chapter Four: Hangover

Notes: Okay, this is the last attempt. I really disliked this chappeh when I first wrote it, and five times later, I'm really kinda hating it. So let's hope this one makes the print.

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"Get that first aid kit, Ama. He's lookin' kinda bad."

"Don't you think I know what I'm doing?"

"It'd be a lot easier if you'd quit spazzing out, Zidane. It's just a little red, it's not going to kill him."

Awoken by voices, Vivi's first thought was that something had had happened to him. He remembered feeling sick, and Zidane helping him out of Treno. Had he gotten hurt somehow?

He opened an eye cautiously. He was back at Zidane and Kuja's apartment, lying on the sofa. Zidane was hanging over the top of the sofa on the opposite end, while Kuja and Amarant were on the floor in front of them. The room was dark, save for the dim glow of the television the other three were watching.

His eyelids felt heavy, but his vision was clearing up, so he sat up. Immediately his head spun again. He whined a little, putting both hands on either side of his head.

Zidane was at his side, leaning over the sofa. "Viv! You're awake. How do you feel?"

Vivi squeezed his eyes shut. "Spinning…"

The monkey frowned worriedly. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

"Glad to hear it," Kuja drawled, looking back at them. "If he throws up, you can take care of that."

"I'm amazed by your caring bedside manner," his brother scowled before returning his attention to the Black Mage. "You can go back to sleep if you want. We're gonna keep you tonight so nothing happens."

Vivi wished they didn't all talk so fast. "I'll be okay."

Zidane sighed. "I feel terrible about all this."

He lay back against the arm of the couch. "It's alright. It was an accident. I don't blame you."

From the television, a loud static noise made Vivi turn sharply, rewarding him with another wave of nausea. He curled into a ball with a groan.

The blond put a hand on the boy's head. "Hey guys, lay off the radio a bit. He's got enough pain as it is."

"Kid's having a hangover. Just give him another hour and it'll be out of his system," Amarant waved him off, but turned down the television anyway.

"What was that?" Vivi leaned forward, trying to see around the redhead.

Zidane's concerned expression suddenly broke out into a grin. "You've never seen Silent Hill before, have you?"

"Silent Hill?"

"It's like a playable horror movie."

"Quite a mind fuck as well," Kuja added, sounding normal, even though he'd had more than double of what had knocked Vivi out.

Zidane hopped over the couch, sitting cross-legged on the floor below the boy. "Watch it for a bit. It's awesome."

The game was darkly lit, even without Vivi's eyes blurring slightly. He had to lean over the edge of the couch to see correctly. At a glance, the game looked like a guy named Harry killing monsters and running around a foggy town. But as they watched Amarant play, a deep and thought-provoking plot began to develop. Lost daughters and religious cults.

After Harry beat the boss character, sirens began to sound. Then the building would turn into a parallel version of itself. The walls were covered in rust, blood or both. And the floors were nothing more than steel grating, suspended over a dark void. It almost made one wish for a tetanus shot.

Suddenly, a demon shot out from under a car. With a surprised yelp, Vivi's arms went out from under him. The boy tumbled, only to find himself falling into Zidane's lap.

"S-Sorry!" Vivi scrambled to get up, wobbling a bit before falling back down.

Zidane sat him steady. "I don't mind. Hell, I hang on Ama all the time!" Was it Vivi's imagination, or did Zidane's face look more pink than usual?

He decided it was easier to stay where he was. He leaned against Zidane's chest comfortably. His eyes fought with his mind for sleep. Finally he closed them reminding himself to ask Zidane about the game in the morning.

He was half asleep when he started feeling warmer. Not the cozy warmth he had been feeling from Zidane, but a sickly version. It was too hot to sleep. He turned over, making a small whimper in his throat. He was starting to feel restless and twitchy.

Zidane put a hand on his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

He whined again. "It's too hot…"

Kuja looked up from where he'd laid his head on Amarant's leg. "Meltdown. You might want to herd him to the bathroom, Zidane."

"I don't wanna…throw up…" his voice was shaky.

Zidane set the boy up, standing after him. Taking the Black Mage by the hand, he led him down the hall to the bathroom.

Vivi stood there for a minute, swaying back and forth, before the last wave of nausea hit. He fell to his knees, purging the alcohol from his system. It stopped long enough for him to take a breath, letting out a sob before a new round started.

By the end of it, he slumped against the wall, crying. He finally noticed Zidane, standing in the doorway. "I hate throwing up…" he said weakly, wiping tears from his eyes with his sleeve.

Zidane looked at him sympathetically before walking over to him and wrapping his arms around him. "God, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, and I've already made you cry…"

Vivi, feeling slightly relieved now free of the alcohol, leaned into the embrace, closing his eyes. "I'm okay now, really. I feel a lot better."

From the doorway behind them, Amarant cleared his throat. Zidane let the boy go, eyes widening a bit.

Kuja slid out from behind the redhead's frame. "Ama and I are heading off now. We've got some errands to run. You should probably get some sleep."

Amarant looked at Vivi. "You okay, kid?"

Vivi nodded, wiping at his eyes again. Zidane raised an eyebrow at the two across from him. "Errands?"

His brother smiled secretly. "Errands," he changed the subject, looking at the Black Mage. "Since we're all staying here tonight, we should do something tomorrow. I hardly think you enjoyed getting sick."

"If anyone wakes up while it's still daylight," Zidane replied airily.

Kuja laughed. "And what exactly will keep you two up?"

Both Zidane and Amarant gaped at him. Vivi blinked, confused. With a smirk, the silver-haired man left, dragging Amarant by the arm.

"I don't get it," Vivi said finally.

Zidane shook his head. "It doesn't matter. He's just being a jerk." He went to the sink, filling a glass with water for Vivi to rinse his mouth with.

After this was finished, Vivi looked up at Zidane. "Are you gonna play Silent Hill anymore tonight?"

He smiled. "I might."

"Can…Can I watch you play?"

"Sure thing. We'll start over so you can see the whole thing." He took the Mage's hand and pulled him away from the bathroom.

Vivi sat on the floor in front of the television. Zidane sprawled out beside him, switching the game console on.

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"Well, I just figured we'd let you know, since you were so concerned and all," Kuja sipped his drink, leaning his chin delicately on his hand.

Across the counter, Lani nodded. "I appreciate it. Poor kid looked trashed."

"Small wonder with the shit he drinks," Amarant muttered.

"I prefer quality to quantity, Ama," the coordinator replied, tracing a finger along Amarant's jaw with a smile.

Lani grinned, slumping over the bar and watching the two. "So…do keep me posted, will you?"

"I'll do you one better. You should come over tomorrow."

"Sure. What's going on?"

"He's not exactly sure yet," Amarant answered, finishing his drink. "But knowing him it'll piss me off."

Lani grinned. "Then I'm there."

Amarant smirked. "Why am I not surprised?"

"We should get going. I just wanted to fill you in," Kuja drained his drink and stood, putting on his jacket.

The girl nodded. "I'd have just taken you with me when I got off," she gave Amarant a knowing smile. "But I figure you've got better things to do…"

Kuja winked. "Damn right. See you tomorrow."

The two walked across the parking lot to Amarant's car. "I don't know why I hang out with all you people. You're insane."

Kuja took his arm. "Cuz you know you love us. Especially me."

"Right. Masochism."

Kuja laughed, reaching up to tug on a bit of Amarant's hair.

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Vivi squealed, burying his face in Zidane's back. At the same time, the monkey jumped. On the screen, the cabinet opened, and something popped out, grabbing Harry's leg. Both watched as the the game protagonist was pulled inside. The 'game over' sign flashed on the screen.

"Damn," Zidane put down the controller, stretching.

"That was scary…" Vivi replied, laughing shakily.

The blond sat up on his knees. "Yeah. You should probably catch some sleep. Kuja'll be pissed. He's planning something."

The Mage nodded with a yawn. "What about you?"

He shrugged, sitting on the furthest end of the sofa. "Natural insomniac. I'll just watch some TV until I get tired. You can lay down here, I won't bother you."

Vivi hopped up on the sofa, laying down. Zidane took the blanket off the back of the sofa and draped it over the boy. Then he picked up the remote and switched the television to a movie. "Hey Viv, I'm sorry tonight was such a mess."

Vivi shook his head. "I had fun…except for the getting sick thing. But that was an accident. I'm glad you asked me to come."

Zidane smiled as the boy closed his eyes. "Yeah, me too."

"Mmm," he muttered, well on his way to sleep.

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Kuja's back hit the wall, and Amarant pressed against him. The redhead found his apartment key from memory and unlocked the door. The two moved inside, making it to the couch without disentangling themselves.

The monkey fell back onto the couch, pulling the taller man on top of him, kissing him hard. He moaned, arching against him and wrapping his arms around Amarant's neck.

Amarant smirked. "Running errands, huh?"

Kuja's tail wound around his waist. "Oh shut up."

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"Wake up time!" Kuja threw open the door, tossing his keys on the counter. Amarant followed behind, shaking his head.

From the sofa, Zidane's head popped into view, still half-asleep. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kuja grinned almost evilly, leaning face to face with the blond. "You're wasting valuable game time, dear brother."

"Game time?" Zidane deadpanned.

"I think we'll start with DDR, then maybe Guilty Gear or something…" he put a finger to his chin in thought.

Zidane sat up slowly, returning to the world of the living. "That's your big plan? More video games?"

Kuja sat back, surprised. "You're turning down a chance to beat me in DDR?"

The blond smirked suddenly. "Who said I was turning it down? I just thought you'd be a little more creative than that."

He winked. "I was…otherwise occupied."

"Where's the kid?" Amarant ended that conversation. Kuja tilted his head, just remembering they had another guest.

"Sleeping," Zidane replied simply.

Before they could inquire further, a head entered the view of the doorway, the door left open after Kuja's grand entrance. "All-nighter again?"

"Hey Lani," Kuja smiled. "You're ready for some competition, right?"

Lani crossed her arms, smiling. "Well, somebody got laid last night."

"Better believe it."

She walked in, leaning against the couch next to Kuja and Amarant. "Didn't you say that Vivi kid was staying with you last night?"

Zidane was looking increasingly more uncomfortable. "He did…"

Kuja raised an eyebrow, picking up on his brother's attitude. "Oh really…?" he lifted the blanket off him before the blond could react.

Vivi was still aslepp, resting on Zidane's lap. The Mage was curled into a ball, lying on the blond's legs. Zidane turned an interesting shade of pink.

"Dear god, that's too cute! Don't move." Lani rummaged through her bag, pulling out a cell phone. Zidane frowned, but knew better than to disobey the girl. He waited until she had taken a picture before shaking the boy's shoulder.

Vivi opened his eyes slowly. The first thing he saw were four faces peering down at him, and he panicked. Jumping back, he fell off the couch. Lighting fast, Zidane caught him before he hit the floor.

"T-thanks…" he muttered, sitting up. His face felt hot, and he was pretty sure it wasn't remaining alcohol in his system.

Kuja, by this time, apparently uninterested in the whole show, had taken a notepad from the coffee table. "Okay everyone. DDR is first, and the rules are simple. Anything goes, last round is random. The winner is decided by points. Who's up first?"

The Mage looked around. "What's going on?"

Zidane stood, stretching. "Kuja decided to play more video games. You ever play DDR?"

He scrambled off the sofa. "Er…once or twice. My roommate took me."

The blond nodded. "Cool," he looked at Kuja. "I'll go first."

Kuja pulled a dance mat from under the sofa. "Okay. Lani?"

Lani sat on the couch's armrest. "Hmm…I'll take third."

"Last," AMarant called, hooking up the pad to the console and flipping though the collection of games.

He looked at Vivi. "Second or fourth?"

"S-second?"

Kuja wrote it down. "Alright, let's start. Zidane…"

Zidane's chosen song was Drop the Bomb on Standard. Vivi watched him fly through it. It looked so easy when he did it, and the Mage could watch him dance for hours, it seemed.

Lani poked his shoulder, grinning. "You're doing it again. It's your turn."

Vivi took a breath, standing on the mat. Scrolling through the list, he decided on Nori Nori Nori on Light.

"Just remember dancing with Zidane last night," the girl cheered, causing both Vivi and Zidane to blush.

It wasn't as easy as Zidane had made it look. He knew the basics, so he did alright. When he was finished, he sat on the floor. Zidane grinned at him.

Lani started with Midnight Blaze on Standard. She moved more than the first two, making it more into an actual dance rather than just hitting arrows. Freestyling, he remembered his roommate telling him it was called.

Kuja's chosen song was Exotic Ethnic on Light. He moved even more than Lani had, moving fluidly and rolling his hips with every step.

Amarant raised an eyebrow. "You did that on purpose."

The older monkey smiled. "You chose to go last. Besides, you need some sort of handicap. We already don't stand a chance as it is."

He shook his head. Then he picked Captain Jack on Heavy. Vivi was shocked by the sheer amount of arrows, and Amarant hit all of them without any problem. And once again, Vivi wondered how exactly he could move so fast.

Needless to say, he won. The final score went Amarant, Zidane, Lani, Kuja and Vivi in last. No one really cared about score, but it was fun anyway. Then they switched to Guilty Gear.

Amarant won that one too.

11111111111111111111

Oh yeah, the Silent Hill movie rocks. –grins- Really sorry this took so dang long.

MiniMnMs: Yeah, that whole thing came from Yami no Matsuei. Cuz we all know underage kids can't hold their liquor. -rolls eyes-

Garnet Crystals: Thankehs so much. I always try for the underlooked couples.

Bloodshy Testament: Just playng around with the equipment is all. -laughs- I'm going to start a cult, I swear it.

Blair Lafrad: At this time no. Sorry.

Devilish Kurumi: Glad it meets your Lani expectations!


End file.
